• 30
  Jul
  2010

• Guard Against Extreme Weather With Trip Cancellation Insurance

  
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Preparing for an international trip takes a lot of planning. You will research the right days to go, the right airline to fly on, the right hotel to stay in, and the best prices available. But for all your hard work during the course of planning, mother nature will always have the final say on whether your travel plans go off without a hitch. With that in mind, you will want to make sure you are always prepared with trip cancellation insurance.

Severe weather can strike anywhere at anytime. From hurricanes to blizzards, every region of the world has its own unique weather conditions that can wreak havoc on your travel schedule. And while you may be able to work your plans around some of the most common issues (for example, avoiding tropical areas during hurricane season), the volcanic eruption in Europe earlier this year is proof that atmospheric events you could never anticipate may derail your plans.

If one of these events causes you to miss a connection, you could suddenly be faced with unforeseen financial issues. For example, missing a connection could cause you to need to buy a new ticket for another flight, without getting any reimbursement on your old ticket. So you could be paying twice as much for one flight! Or if you miss a night's stay in a hotel you had booked because of travel delays, you will lose that money unless you are insured.

Trip cancellation insurance protects these investments, offering reimbursement on cancellations and delays that occur for a variety of reasons. Even non-refundable flights may be covered by your policy! The cost of a plan is quite inexpensive, especially compared to what you will invest for your flight, hotel, and any events you may be attending. Do not let extreme weather disturb your travel plans AND dip into your bank account; protect yourself with insurance.

• 13
  Jul
  2010

• Losing Your Identity Not So Bad with Travel Insurance Assistance!

  
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One of the most underused features of a travel insurance plan is actually the range of travel assistance services provided. Let’s say Carl visits Buenos Aires on business, with an international travel insurance plan that features several travel assistance services. When on the trip, he loses his travel documents and credit cards. Typically, travel assistance services include help and reimbursement in case of identity theft.

To get help, the insured must contact the insurance company (the local customer service number should work), and give the details of the theft. Depending on the plan, the insurance company offers advice on the next steps.

It is not uncommon for insurance companies to also help liaise with local law enforcement. Insurance companies are also able to provide assistance for the replacement of travel documents and the like. Many plans also offer concierge and ticket reservation services for sports and entertainment at the destination.

Travelers who purchase insurance will do well to take a quick look at the travel assistance services included in their plans. Sometimes, a quick phone call can help save a lot of time, effort, and money!

Travel tip: When in doubt, always call the insurance company’s local customer service number and ask them for assistance with your travel. If it’s not part of your plan, they will let you know!

• 06
  Jul
  2010

• Kids Get a Free Ride with Travel Plus Insurance

  
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You want to extend any benefit that you get in life to your children, and a travel insurance plan during a trip is no exception. With many plans such as the Travel Plus cover from Travelex, when you purchase a travel insurance plan for an adult, one child under 16 years is automatically covered, at no additional cost.

When Mary went to South Africa on a business trip in January, she was joined by her husband and their two children after her work, making it a brief family holiday. The best part was that the children had free travel health insurance, since she had cover from the Travel Plus plan. The children were thrilled with the warm weather and had a great time at the safari and camping trips, which were all crammed into one week.

Unfortunately, the change in the weather and the stress of doing everything within a week took its toll and all the children had to be hospitalized for a day for illnesses ranging from dehydration to sun burn.

The trip was also extended due to this and Mary had to cancel the flight back and book another a few days later. The Travel Plus insurance plan that she had taken to cover her and her husband, covered all these expenses and she did not have to compromise at all in the budget for the holiday.

Travel tip: Remember to check coverage for children no matter what plan you end up buying. Also check that children receive the same coverage as the adults on the plan.